Device for operating switches



(No Model.)

S. B. NORRIS. DEVICE FOR OPERATING SWITCHES.

No. 695,197. Patented Deo.'7, 1897.

Wham

NTTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIIERIVOOD l3. NORRIS, OF AUBURN, MAINE.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING SWITCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,197, dated December '7, 1897. Application filed November 12, 1896. Serial No. 611,873- (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHERWOOD I3. NORRIS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Auburn, in the county of Androseoggin and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Operating Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for operating switches for electric- 1notor cars, and is designed to supply means whereby the motorneer may throw the switch from either platform of the ear withoutleaving the platform, and also to do away with the long and clumsyswitch-rod.

To this end my invention consists of wedgeshaped wheels pivotally attached to the truck-frame of the car and projecting outwardly therefrom, means for causing said wheels to be forced down and held upon the track, and in certain other details of construct-ion to be hereinafter more fully set forth and described.

In the drawings herewith accompanying and forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the car, showing my improved device in position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the truck and guard and my switch-thrower, showing the manner in which the wedge shaped wheels take and throw the switch; and Fig. 3 is a detail View of the switcl'i-thrower.

Same letters refer to like parts.

In said drawings, A represents the body of the car, 13 the trucks thereof, and O the guard frame, which generally extends in front of the wheels. Rigidly attached to the front port-ion of the guard in any suitable manner is an outwardly-projecting frame D, consisting of two members E and F, joined together in any suitable manner, as shown at G in Fig. 1. Said frame is attached to each side of the front portion of the guard. Pivotally mounted in the end of the frame are lever-arms II. Said lever-arms at their free extremities are provided with forked arms 7b, in which are mounted axles 'i. Loosely mounted on said axles are wedge-shaped wheels I. Pivotally attached to said leverarms II and to the rigid frame D in any suitable manner are toggle-arms .I. Attached to said toggle-arms J at the point where they join is a rod K, which extends to the platform of the car. Attached to each platform of the ear is an ear L. Pivotally mountedin said ear is a bell-crank lever M. Seated in said platforms in a suitable socket N is a footlever O. Said foot lever O is pivotally c011- nected with one arm of the bell-crank lever, as shown at P, the rod K being attached to the other arm of said bell-crank lever, as shown at p. Attached to the upper member of the frame D is a spiral spring Q. Said spring at its lower end is attached to the lever-arms II and serves to hold said arms normally away from and out of contact with the track. I mount the wedge-shaped wheels I loosely in the forked arms 7L, in order that they may yield slightly when pressure is brought to bearlaterally against them by the switchguard on the rail, so as not to break or twist theforwardly-extendingframeD. Toaccomplish this, I insert between the inner arms and the wheel of the outer lever -arm a spiral spring R- of sufficient tension to allow a slight lateral movement when the wheel is in operation. I surround the axle of the inner arm on the one side with a spiral spring T. \Vound on one of the forks is a spring S, the free end being so placed as to press against the side of wheel and keep it normally at or near the middle of the axle, but at the same time it will allow the wheel a slight lateral move ment.

It will be seen that when pressure is brought to bear upon the foot-levers and the rods pulled outwardly the wedge-shaped wheels by means of the toggle-joints will be forced downwardly, so that they will bear upon the track with considerable pressure.

It is necessary that there be two sets of these Wedge-shaped wheels and their connecting mechanism on each end of the car. The wheel intended to throw the switch from a straight line to a curve is always placed on the outer side, and the one intended to throw the switch from a curve to a straight line is placed on the inner side.

The wheels are made in such a form that its circumference is very sharply pointed and will lit into the space between the switch tongue and guard when pressure is brought thereon' by meansof the bell-crank lever and connecting rod. It will be seen that the wheels, if pressed downwardly into the space between the switch guard and tongue, owing to their wedge formation and sharpened circumference will force the tongue of the switch to one side or'the other, as is needed. It is also necessary to provide each platform of the car with two sets of foot-levers for operating my device, for it will be seen that each set of wheels are entirely independent of each and are also operated independently. I

The operation of my improved device is as follows: As the car approaches a switch it the motorneer wishes the car to continue on a straight run and the switch is thrown to make the car round a curve he presses on the inner foot-lever. This throws down the inner of the two levers and changes the tongue, so as to allow the car to continue on a straight course. It is this inner wheel which is always used to throw the switchtongue from a curve to a straight. To allow the car to take a curve, the outer of the two foot-levers is forced downwardly, thereby forcing the outer lever-arm down upon the track. The object of the springs being interposed between the forked arms and the wheel is to compensate for the straight forward movement of the car-body. before the trucks take the switch. Vere it not for this lateral movement allowed the Wedge'shaped Wheel the strain on the forwardly-projectin g frame would be so great as to either break it from the truck-guard or to wrench it so badly as to make it inoperative. The object of the small spiral spring on the axle of the inner wheel is to allow lateral movement in case the wheel does not on the moment of application strike the crease between the guardrail and switch-tongue, and also to allow for the rigidity of the switch-guard. Were it not for this movement allowed the wheel it -would ride up against the guard and prevent the said Wheel from turning the switch. The small spiral spring on the outer wheel is inserted for the same purpose.

Having thus described my invention and its use, I claim In a device for operating switches, in combination, trucks, rigid arms attached there to and extending outwardly therefrom, said arms being connected at theirtop and bottom by suitable rods, pairs of lever-arms pivotally connected to said braces at each side and extending rearwardly and diagonally downward, said lever-arms being provided with forked extremities, wedge shaped wheels adapted to revolve on said axle, springs interposed between the arms of said forked extremities and wedge-shaped wheels and surrounding said axles to allow said wedgeshaped wheels a lateral movement, togglejoints, one member of which is pivoted at its extremity tothe upper portion of said rigid brace, the other member of which is pivoted at its extremity to the lever-arm, rods connecting said toggle-joints and extending to the car-platform, bell-crank levers pivotally mounted on the bottom of the CZUFPlEL'EfOPll], foot-levers in connection with and pivotally attached to one of the arms of said bellcrank lever, the other arm of said bell-crank lever being connected with said rods, which, when drawn forward, straighten said togglejoints and force said wedge-shaped wheels downwardly upon the track, retractingsprings extending from said lever-arms to the upper portion of said rigid brace for the purpose of normally holding said wheels out of engagement with the track, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affixniy signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 7th day of November, A. D. 1896.

SHERWOOD B. NORRIS.

Witnesses:

NATHAN CLIFFORD, ELGIN (J. VERRILL. 

